This time there is no how-to, hopefully the new drivers will be provided via 1-click soon. Here is a quick look at the state of the matter.

Changelog:

* Fri Dec 14 2007 sndirsch
- update to release 8.44.3
* OpenGL overlay fixes
* Fixed memory leak in OpenGL applications
* Fixed corruption regression on RS690 (AKA AMD 690G, AKA ATI
Xpress 1200)
* Fixed server crash in X -configure
* Fixed CMMQS initialization failure on T43p
* Fixed no 3D on some AGP cards
* Fixed wrong libGL soname
* reenabled support for FireGL/FireMV cards

What’s good:

* Xgl works once again, it is as simple as running gnome-xgl-switch -e
* AIGLX is comparable as the last release, no visible difference, LD_LIBRARY_PATH line is no longer required in compiz-manager(just that one)

What sucks:

* I can’t get 1440×900 resolution for my Viewsonic VA1912w LCD, it worked on 8.43 (ATI bug #939)
* Video playback is still flickery, and sometimes also crashes X

Verdict:

* Keep using 8.40 with Xgl if it is working for you
* 8.43 users can update, but expect only slight improvement

To start compiz after making required changes to xorg.conf as per the last how-to, run(note the double dashes wordpress eats up):

LIBGL_ALWAYS_INDIRECT=1 compiz –no-libgl-fallback –replace ccp &

The above command will make “No GLXFBConfig for default depth”and “GLX_EXT_texture_from_pixmap is missing” errors go away.

Here is a copy/paste friendly configuration for compiz-manager, save it as /home/<yourusername>/.config/compiz/compiz-manager. You need to install compiz-manager for it to work.

May new year bring a perfect drivers we are waiting for.

Merry Christmas

While things are quite at compiz front, I experimented a bit with Xen.

I was under the impression that to do a “live” migration gigaport switch, shared storage and über powerful servers would be required, I was pleasantly surprised with what I found out.

Two AMD Sempron 2700+ PC(no fancy VT/Pacifica) with 1 GB RAM connected with 10/100 ethernet are used for this experiment.

Step 1. Install SLES 10 SP 1 on both PC with Xen pattern. Disable Firewall in both during installation.

Step 2. Install SLES 10 SP1 in Xen on PC1(10.0.0.1)

Step 3. NFS Export /var/lib/xen from PC1 and mount it on PC2(10.0.0.2) (not sure if this is required)

Step4. Edit /etc/xen/xend-config.sxp to uncomment (xend-relocation-server yes) and (xend-relocation-hosts-allow ”) and reboot(not sure if reboot is required either)

Step5. Open Xen Manager in YaST on both PC, start sles-10-1 virtual machine on PC1. xm list to know the name on your setup.

Step6. Magic begins.. run

 xm migrate --live sles-10-1 10.0.0.2

on PC1 watch as it “shutoff” on PC2 and come up in PC2.

To make sure the migration is “live” you can keep the ping going on the IP of the virtual machine. Theoretically there should just be 60 - 100 ms drop in service, not really noticeable.

Note: Live migration means: moving a running virtual OS from one physical machine to another.

I’ve used SUSE Linux Enterprise Server (SLES) as it is best suited to do this kind of tasks easily, but this should be possible on anything that has kernel with Xen support.

Compiz-fusion-git packages have been updated in home:cyberorg repository. It has all the new bling the community has to offer.

What’s new? there is a Shelf plugin by Kristian Lyngstøl that lets you scale down the window size, obligatory screenies follow.

This one has scaled windows rotated with freewins plugin.

Keeping with the winter theme, there is now a Snowglobe plugin by David “Metastability” Mikos , and it has got a snowman right in the middle of the cube.

Here is Gavintgold’s FusionCast to show them in action:

openSUSE users can install the new version via 1-click here.

Warning: This is a test repository meant for developers and users that can fix anything that can go wrong by installing these packages. Have a lot of fun!

Compiz and all the related applications in X11:XGL repository are now at 0.6.9_git071205

What’s new/improved since last release:

* Improved ccsm GUI

* 3D plugin is back

* Green default Emerald theme

* Many bug fixes and performance improvements as always

* More translations

openSUSE 10.3 1-click installers:

compiz-fusion-kde

compiz-fusion-gnome

compiz-fusion-all

compiz-fusion-devel to build experimental plugins

Checkout: http://en.opensuse.org/Compiz-Fusion for more information about how to install, configure and troubleshoot.